Cord holder



g- 30, 1955 L. JOHNSON 2,716,531

CORD HOLDER Filed April 22, 1955 INVENTOR. i gamm Johnson,

United States Patent CORD HOLDER Leonard Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 22, 1953, Serial No. 350,414

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-51) This invention relates to an improved cord holder or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a cord holder for holding the electric cord of an appliance and includes a yieldable device for selectively holding a cord-engaging portion of the cord holder in an upright latched position when the appliance is in use or .in a generally horizontal unlatched position when the appliance is not in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cord holder or the like for holding the cord of an electrical appliance in a position for preventing interference with movement of the appliance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cord holder with a holding portion movable between an upright position and a generally horizontal position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved device for selectively and resiliently holding a pair of members in a latched position or in an unlatched position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved holder for the electrical cord of an iron or similar appliance with the cord holder including a portion adapted for being clamped on an ironing board or the like and a second pivotally connected portion adapted for being selectively placed in an upright position or a generally horizontal position.

Still another object is to provide an improved device for selectively and yieldably holding a pair of members of an appliance in a latched position or an unlatched position.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:,

Figure 1 is a broken side elevational view of a cord holder according to the present invention, showing the cord holding portion in the upright position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of the cord holder of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connecting device portion of the cord holder of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the cordclamping portion of the cord holder taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the pivot portion of the connecting device.

The cord holder of the present invention as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is designated by the reference numeral ill and includes generally a cord holding or gripping structure 11 and a supporting structure 12 with the structures being resiliently pivotally connected by a connecting device portion 12a. The supporting structure 12 is adapted for being clamped to a table-like member such as an ironing board 13, a portion of which is shown in dash lines. The cord holding structure 11 is adapted for being yieldably held in an upright or latched position as shown in solid lines in Figures 1 and 2 or in a horizontal or unlatched position as shown in dotted 2,716 ,531 Patented Aug. 39, 19555 ice lines in Fig. 2. The cord holding structure 11 includes a cord clamping device 14, an elongated pole or rod 15 (shown broken) connected at one end to the clamping device 14, and a yieldable connector 16 connected to the other end of.the pole 15. v

The cord clamping device 14 includes a generally cylindrical body or casing portion 17 having an internal bore 18 with a plunger member 19 adapted for axial movement in the bore. A cord receiving notch 18a is formed through the body portion 17 at the upper end of the bore 18, and a compression spring 20 is disposed between the bottom end of the bore 18 and the plug 19 for resiliently urging the plug upwardly against the upper portionof the body 17. The upper end portion of the pole 15 extends through an axial aperture .21 formed through the lower end of the body portion 17 and has its upper end secured to the plug 19 with the spring 20 being coiled about the adjacent portion of the pole. A spring seat washer 22 is disposed between the plug 19 and the adjacent end of the compression spring 20. It will be seen that the body portion 17 can be moved upwardly against the compression of the spring 20 to enlarge a gap 23 between the upper end of the plug 19 and the adjacent portion of the body 17 so that an electric cord 24 can be inserted between the plug and the upper body portion. When the body is released, the cord is releasably clamped, between the plug and the upper body portion to hold the cord in an out-of-the-way position; In order to prevent injury to the electric cord and to prevent shortcircuiting through the cord holder, the cord clamp 17 may be formed of a rigid, non-conducting plastic ma-' terial while the plug 19 may be formed of a softer, non-conducting material such as rubber.

The resilient connector 16 includes a spring cap 25, an elongated coil spring 26, and an end fitting 27. The cap 25 is fixedly secured in inverted position at the lower end of the pole 15, and one end of the spring 26 is secured in the cap with the spring axially aligned with the pole. The lower end of the spring 26 is secured about a shank portion 28 of the fitting 27. The lower portion of the fitting 27 is flattened and provided with a circular hole 29 which has its axis intersecting the axis of the pole 15 and the spring 26 at right angles thereto. The lower end of the fitting 27 is rounded at 30 as shown.

The supporting structure 12 has a body portion 31 which may be formed of thin flat metal bar stock which is bent to form a C-clamp part 32 and an integral upright connecting part 33. The C-clamp part 32 includesa lower leg 34 having a threaded hole 35 therethrough which threadedly receives a hand or tightening screw 36. A handle portion 37 is provided by a generally,-

circular bent lower end of the tightening screw while a cup-shaped screw pad 33 is rotatably secured at the upper end of the tightening screw on the other side of the leg 34 from the handle 37.

The upright connecting part 33 of the supporting structure 12 includes a flat section 39, an angularly bent section 40, and a return bent end 41 which is formed at right angles to the fiat portion 39. A slot or notch 42 is formed in the return bent end 41 and adapted for releasably receiving the shank 28 of the fitting 27. A pin 43 is provided with a reduced diameter end portion 44 which is inserted through mating aperture 45 formed through the flat section 39. A shoulder 46 is formed where the reduced diameter end portion 44 joins a larger diameter elongated shank 47, and the shoulder 46 bears against one face of the section 39 about the hole 45, while the free end of the reduced diameter end portion 44 is upset or peened to form a head 48 to fixedly secure the pin 43' pin shank 47 is inserted through the hole 29 in the fitting 27 with the shank being of somewhat smaller diameter to provide a loose fit to allow for angular movement of the fitting 27 relative to the pin 43. An enlarged head 49 is formed at the free end of the shank 47, and a light compression spring 50 is disposed in compressed relat on between the head 49 and the opposed portion of the fitting 27 so that the spring normally urges the flat portion of the fitting 27 against the flat section 39 of the connecting part 33 of the supporting structure 12.

It will be readily understood that the fitting the connecting part 33, and the related parts comprise the connecting device 12a.

When the cord holding structure 11. is in the upright position as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the shank 28 at the fitting 27 is received in the notch the conne ting portion end 41 so that the cord holding structure may be said to be in latched position. In order to release the cord holding structure 11 from latched position, the structure is first pivoted angularly with respect to the pin 43 and longitudinally of the notch 42 to release the fitting shank 28 from the notch, and then the cord holding structure is pivoted about the axis of the pin 43 in either direction until it is at generally right angles to its former position in an unlatched position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.

To assist in moving the cord holding structure to and from latched position the end edges defining the notch 42 may be rounded as shown at 51 in Figure 3. For facilitating movement from unlatched position toward latched position the outer corners of the connecting end 41 may be rounded as indicated at 52 in Figure 3.

In order to resiliently hold the cord holding structure 11 in the unlatched position, a pair of lugs 53 may be struck from the opposite side edges of the upper portion of the flat section 39. These lugs coact with the fitting 27 and the spring 59 to yieldiugly prevent upward pivoting of the cord holding structure out of unlatched position.

When using the cord holder of the present invention the supporting structure 12 may be clamped to an ironing board or the like by tightening the hand screw 1% after the C-clamp part 32 has been placed in proper position. In order to hold the electric ironing cord up out of the way of the user the cord holding structure 11 is pivoted into the upright latched position with the shank 28 of the fitting 27 in the notch 42 of the upright connecting part of the supporting structure 12. The cord holding structure is resiliently held in latched position by means of the compression spring 50 which normally holds the flat end of the fitting 27 against the fiat section 39 of the connecting portion. The electric ironing cord is then inserted in the gap 23 of the cord clamp 14 after the body portion 117 has been moved upwardly against the compression of the spring 20. When the body portion is released, the cord is resiliently clamped between the rubber plug 19 and the plastic body portion to hold the cord in an out-ofthe-way position and to prevent injury and short circuiting.

\Vhen the ironing has been finished and it is desired to move the cord holding structure to a folded or more inconspicuous position, the shank 28 can be moved out of the holding notch 42, and then the cord holding structure can be pivoted downwardly in either direction to lie generally horizontally along the ironing board in one of the two unlatched positions. The electric cord can remain in clamped position in the cord clamp if desired. With the cord holding structure in folded position the ironing board can be stored away without necessitating removal of the cord holder. Further, it is readily apparent that the ironing operation can be performed with the cord holding structure in the unlatched position it for any reason this position for holding the cord is more desirable.

The coil spring 16 permits the cord clamp 14 to be i moved a certain distance Without unlatching the cord holding structure 11 so that the iron can be moved further away from the cord holder when the cord is pulled taut without necessitating releasing the cord from the clamp 14. When the iron is again moved toward the cord holder to release the tension on the cord, the spring 26 will straighten up the pole 15. In addition, if the cord holding structure should be inadvertently bumped, the spring 26 will deflect and prevent injury to the cord holder.

The cooperation between the cord holding structure fitting 27 and the supporting structure connecting part 33 provides for greater ease of operation, more versatility, and easier storing without removal of the cord holder from the ironing board. These two portions of the cord holder may be said to comprise an improved connecting device which considerably improves the utility of the cord holder of the present invention. that this connecting device feature could be readily and efficiently utilized in other similar applications where collapsibility or storability of an article is important.

Modifications and variations may be efiected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim:

In an ironing cord holder for engagement to an ironing board; a clamp of generally C-shaped contour of thin metal, bar stock having a lower leg, an upper leg, and means for securing said clamp to an ironing board; an upright member integral with the end of said upper leg, said upright member including a fiat section, an angularly bent section above said fiat section, and a return bent end at right angles to said flat section, said return bent end being provided with a notch; a fitting member having a round cross section shank and a flattened end portion which is thinner than the diameter of the shank; a pin for pivotally securing said fitting member to said upright member with the flattened end abutting said upright member fiat section and with said shank adapted to be held in upright, latched position in said notch, whereby said angularly bent section prevents contact between said shank and said upright member except in said notch; a spring on said pin for urging said fitting member against said upright member; and a pair of lugs extending from the lateral margins of said upright member disposed below said return bent end adapted to coact with said fitting member and said spring to yieldingly prevent upward pivoting of said shank of said fitting member out of unlatched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 495,914 Smart Apr. 18, 1893 1,530,529 Weber Mar. 24, 1925 1,999,089 Dowden Apr. 23, 1935 2,478,498 Myers Aug. 9, 1949 2,488,255 Allen Nov. 15, 1949 2,546,589 Felts Mar. 27, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 660,649 Great Britain -e of 1951 It is readily apparent 

